Henry Lever Action

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Captain America

Captain America

Hunter
Joined
Dec 17, 2015
Messages
2,543
City & State/Province
Reading, Pa
I mentioned in another thread that I was going to a gun show today and one of my priorities was to fondle a Henry or two. Well, I fondled three, a Big Boy in .357, a Golden Boy in .22lr, and a Classic in .22lr. I think my wife would like to buy me one for our anniversary in July but I really don't know which one I want. All of the guns I handled had very smooth actions and were easy on my eyes. I love the brass look on the Big Boy and Golden Boy but I know I'm going to be shooting this gun a lot so I might just go for a steel finish. Also since it's just going to be a range plinker I might go with a .22lr version. After handling those rifles today I'm no closer to making a decision than I was beforehand...I really, really think I might end up with two of these because that Big Boy looked so good :?
 
Have a Lever Octagon Frontier in .22LR, and love it. This will be my next purchase:

https://www.henryusa.com/rifles/big-boy-color-case-hardened/

In .357, please; my 50th Anniversary Flattop needs a partner.
 
Who looks to get ONE?

I'd like to have an all-weather in 41 mag. I'm afraid to buy a Henry feeling sure more would follow and I promised myself to save gun money for older more collectible items.
 
I have this model and really enjoy it. https://www.henryusa.com/rifles/lever-action-22-carbine-rifle/ It digests anything I have shoved into it since I bought it a couple years ago.
 
The Lever Octagon-barrel Frontier is a fantastic rifle with great sights. The semi-buckhorn rear sight makes a huge difference in accuracy.

My Classic .22 Lever goes to the range almost every time.

Henry sent me a replacement trigger-hammer kit which smoothed up the trigger pull considerably.

No charge. Just for asking. I offered to pay, and they declined.

Mr. Imperato himself answered the telephone and transferred me to the nice lady who helped me.

Great company, made in America, and the .22’s both have the most satisfying action feel and sound.

Great rifles.

Monty

P.S. I’m intrigued by the Octagon Pump rifle.
 
15 years ago I sent Henry my daughters pic along with some nice comments on her first rifle. They put it up on their website, and now, 15 years later, it's still there.

https://www.henryusa.com/rifles/lever-action-22-youth-rifle/

And she still has the rifle. (and the pink earmuffs) too. 8)

Action smooth as glass. Great rifle and company.
 
I have a Henry Youth model, bought for my son. I cannot say enough about this little gun. It is such a handy size, even for an adult. Really a great gun.

If I were you I'd look real close at the SMALL GAME rifle or carbine it comes with the Skinner peep sight, and a large loop. It's a sweet set up IMHO.
 
So far we have this one in .357:

8RjLqVT.jpg


Beautiful and a favorite with us!
 
I got a golden boy a few months back, it is fun to shoot but, because my 61 year old eyes I got a skinner peep mounted on the receiver and it brought the groups down in size, only targets I have are at 25 yds standing 3, 5 shot groups are about 3 inch by 3 inch but, seven of the 15 shots are around an inch to inch and half if laid atop each other.
Skinner sights are a great upgrade, I even got one for a 1892 Navy Arms in 357 mounted in place of the buckhorn. That sight is not as good as having a peep near the hammer but it prevented the need to drill the receiver to mount one back there.
 
I bought a Henry .22 for my grandson after he'd put in three years with his Savage Rascal single shot. It's the black full sized model. Beautifully built, excellent fit between wood and steel and nice quality of wood. We've mixed both long rifle and shorts in the same magazine load which didn't bother the rifle. It digested all of them without a hiccup. So far after several thousand rounds of ammo through the rifle it's performed perfectly.
 
Not to change the subject, but how can Henry make such fine rifles starting from nothing some years ago and apparently successful today. Yet Remington, Marlin, Winchester, Colt all scream and struggle in futile existence after 170 years of manufacturing and consumer history ? Amazing,!!! The ignorance of corporate stupidity or the lack of corporate change ? The lack of a vested CEO / Pres- private ownership ? Think of Sears, the Amazon of its day and very well could have been Amazon today yet for corporate blindness.
Seems like every time a company goes into stockholder run Board of Directors structure the quality and care plummet. Look at Ruger, we all cant deny that they are riding the edge today vs when Bill Sr / Jr were fully in charge.

Wonder what lines of guns Henry is considering for the future
 
Now this is a Henry in 44WCF :D :D My neighbor has the limited edition engraved one that is outstanding. But a little toooooooooo rich for my blood.
I bought my Grandson the Golden Boy and the Youth Model 22s. Both fine rifles. I have done everything known to man to slick up my Marlin 22 , Yea I know how to slick up a Marlin, it is no where close to being as smooth as the Henrys.
I do prefer a loading gate rather than the tube loading. Must be why
the loading gate was one of the improvements King did to the Model 1866 :wink:





A little history Henry 44 WCF, 1866 44 WCF , 1873, First of the Commemoratives of a 1866 produced in 1966 useing a 1894 30-30
 
I've heard nothing but good about Anthony Imperato and Henry firearms! You would think someone somewhere would say something bad about them, but noOOOo :)

Not just gun companies, but all companies should be run like A. Imperato runs Henry!
 
I tried to buy just one but now have four in four different calibers. As a side note I bought one of the military tribute golden boy rifle for my son while he was in afghanistan and Henry engraved his name, rank and date on it for me. A great company.
 
I came along before the modern Henry rifles were available so my lever guns are mostly Marlin. Now I really enjoy shooting my 39a 22, accurate, fun gun, but as far as a fun gun goes my vote is my Marlin 38/357. With it you can cover from mild to wild, small kids can shoot it with 38’s with no worry as to recoil, as they get older they will have little trouble with the mild recoil or the 357 loads. With 357 loads and good placement it is fine for deer.
 
Wyandot Jim said:
Now this is a Henry in 44WCF :D :D My neighbor has the limited edition engraved one that is outstanding. But a little toooooooooo rich for my blood.
I bought my Grandson the Golden Boy and the Youth Model 22s. Both fine rifles. I have done everything known to man to slick up my Marlin 22 , Yea I know how to slick up a Marlin, it is no where close to being as smooth as the Henrys.
I do prefer a loading gate rather than the tube loading. Must be why
the loading gate was one of the improvements King did to the Model 1866 :wink:





A little history Henry 44 WCF, 1866 44 WCF , 1873, First of the Commemoratives of a 1866 produced in 1966 useing a 1894 30-30
Click to expand...

Now that is a fine set of firearms and plenty of lever actions!
 
I do like my henry golden boy but, as stated a few posts back, I want a loading gate on center fire calibers. Not a thing wrong with the big boy henry's, just me I want a loading gate. So, I pass on them.
 
SWR said:
Not to change the subject, but how can Henry make such fine rifles starting from nothing some years ago and apparently successful today.
Click to expand...

Not to take anything away from Mr. Imperato, or the modern Henry company, but I believe the design of their basic .22 lever action is a rework of an older (mid-late 1900’s?) design.

It seems to me that there was a connection to a European maker (Erma?) and/or an importer (Interarms?), perhaps in the 1960s. Maybe someone here can give us a little history lesson.

I have a Golden Boy, my buddy has a basic .22 lever from them. I like them both. My buddy also has a new production “Original Henry,” and I believe his .357 lever is also a Henry. I like my buddy’s guns, to... :mrgreen:

Be aware that the Golden Boy stock has a lot more drop at the comb... makes for a different “feel.” I’ve heard that it can be difficult to get a good cheek weld, if you wrte inclined to use a scope on it.

Before you flog me for speaking of a scope on a Golden Boy, take a look at the “Malcom” scopes available out there. I think they would make a cool “frontier sniper rifle,” even if it might not be historically accurate...

Also: I believe replacement “brass” receiver covers are still available from Henry for a reasonable price. Might not hurt to keep a spare, then use your GB as it was intended. In the event of a HUGE scratch or something, you could always pop a spare cover on.
 
Howie you are correct about the .22 rifles, I seen the design in the Ithaca imports from 1980s. Not sure who made them, I would not discount the idea that all tooling and manufacturing equipment was purchased and in the hands of Henry now. You can see them on Gun Broker web pages. For sure the golden boy is the older style low comb, although some put scopes on them, that is silly. The blued model has a slotted receiver for scope rings and different butt stock for those who really want a scoped lever gun.
 
The original Ithaca 72 Saddlegun repeater design (not the single-shots) was drawn up at Ithaca, contracted to ERMA in then-West Germany, and were reputed to be built using cut-down Olympic Biathlon barrels, which ERMA made for several countries. I have owned three and all were capable of amazing accuracy including the coveted 22 WMRF versions.

Imperato knew a winner and built Henry on a carbon copy, albeit with some minor plastic parts. He has built the name and business with some fine designs since, and no one needs to find an excuse for owning a Henry of any flavor.
 
Good, information. I never looked it up but, handled and sold the old Ithaca's and the new Henry's enough know the are a copy, just wondered if they bought the tools or the license to make them. Maybe the rights expired and none of that matters.
 
As long as we are praising Mr Imperato and Henry. Don't forget the AR-7 survival rifle too. Started as a military kit gun, and been made by several manufacturers over the years. .By all accounts the Henry is the most reliable version ever made.

I like the Henry slogan. "Built in America or not at all".
 
Yeah, sold the old Charter Arms AR-7s. Back in the day, 69.99 as I recall. Most that shot them ended up bringing them back, I thought they where junk, they had all kinds of problems. The idea about a handy light weight .22 semi auto rifle was good. If you put it away in a plane or boat etc. to use for emergencies but, as a everyday shooter not so much. The 10-22s were about the same price with walnut stocks at the time. I recall 1
10-22 that came back of hundreds I(we) sold every year. It had a flaw in the receiver. Maybe from a void or something, to long ago to remember the details. But, we send it back and the guy got a new gun as I remember.
 
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